Refrigerator construction



Feb. 5, 1929.

R. A. RIEK REFRIGERATOR CONSTRUCTION Filed March 28, 1927 HIM.

Patented Feb. 5, 1929.

RUDOLPH A. RIEK, OF REINELANDER, WISCONSIN.

PATENT OFFICE.

REFRIGERATOR CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed March 28, 1927. Serial No. 179,051.

This invention relates to a refrigerator construction and more especially to .a new and novel assembly of a drip pan for use with refrigerating units, a supporting rack therefor, and a partition for dividing the compartment of the refrigerating unit from the adjacent provision compartment.

One of the objects of the invention is to utilize a removable partition which can be of porcelained metal, said partition being maintained in proper posit-ion by a rack which also constitutes the support for a pan adapted to receive water resulting from the defrosting of a refrigerating unit.

Another object is to provide an arrangement of parts such as described which is simple, compact and efiic-ient, said parts being easily assembled and disconnected without requiring the services of a skilled mechanic.

A still further object is to provide a drip pan having an extension constituting a shelf or ledge whereby articles may be supported within'the casing close to and in front of the refrigerating unit.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, the prepreferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings,

Figure 1 is a horizontal section through a portion of a casing showing the present improvements combined therewith, the removable partition being shown in horizontal section.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 44, Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal section throu h the pan.

Re erring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a portion of the easing of a refrigerator or the like, the same being provided with a door opening 2 in communication with that portion of the interior of the casing designed to receive the refrigerating unit. Extending inwardly from the side Wall of the casing are spaced studs 3 each of which has a pair of upstanding fingers at. A hook 5 is extended into the casing from the front wall thereof at a point adjacent the door opening 2 and another similar hook 6 is arranged back of the hook 5 and is extended into the casing from the rear wall thereof. Super-posed studs 7 are extending into the casing from the front wall thereof and depending from the top of the casing adjacent the back is a hanger 8 in the form of a hook bolted or otherwise attached to the casing 1.

A rack is detachably mounted within the casing and includes a rectangular frame 9 formed preferably of stiff galvanized wire, one side of this frame resting on the studs 3 between the fingers 1 while the other side of the frame has eyes 10 integral therewith bearing upon and detachably supported by the respective hooks 5 and 6. Arranged above the sides of the frame 4 are stifi' supporting wires or rods 11 the ends of which are downturned and soldered or otherwise connected to the ends of the frame 4. These supporting wires are adapted to engage and support outturned flanges 12 provided at the upper edges of the sides of a pan 13. Thus the pan is supported snugly within the rack and can be readily slid forwardly or backwardly thereon. As the pan is designed to be located solely beneath the refrigerating unit which, as is well known, is generally set back away from the door of the casing, an extension in the form of a ledge or shelf 14 has been provided at the front of the pan for bridging the space between the refrigerating unit and the easing door. This shelf is adapted to rest on the front of the frame 9 and can be utilized for holdin small articles of food, bottles or the like. in other words space which has heretofore been wasted can be utilized for storage purposes.

Extending laterally from the rear portion of the frame 9 of the rack is a linger 15 having an upstanding lug 16 at its free end. This lug is adapted tv extend upwardly through an opening 17 provided in a laterally extending flange 18 formed along the bottom of a partition plate 19. This plate can be formed of porcelained metal and is pro ided with a laterally extending top flange 20 and laterally extending front and rear flanges 21 and 22 respectively. The top flange is adapted to engage the hook-shaped hanger 8 as shown in Figure 2 and the front flange 21, which is adapted to fit snugly against the front wall of easing 1 has a short slot 23 in its lowerend and a longer slot 24 in its upper end. Each of these slots has an open end, the lower slot being'adapted to receive the lower stud 7 whereby the partition is supported at its front end while the upper slot 24 removably engages the upper stud 7 When it is desired to mount the artition 19 within the casing the slot 24 is positioned to receive the upper stud 7 after which the partition is moved upwardly so that flange 20 will overhang the hanger 8 while flange 18 will overhang the lug 16. The lower portion of flange 21 will also be brought to position above the lower stud 7. After the partition has thus been arranged it is lowered into place, the hooked hanger entering the flange 20, the lug l6 entering the flange 18 and the lower stud 7 entering the slot 23. Thus the partition will be securely anchored but can nevertheless be removed readily whenever it is desired to clean the same or to have convenient access to the side of the refrigerating unit.

By mounting the rack in the manner shown and described the same is held firmly against lateral and longitudinal movement as long as it is in proper engagement with its supporting means. Consequently it will properly anchor the rear lower portion of the partition with the result that all of the parts, although easily disconnected and removed, will remain in proper fixed relation as long as they are in engagement with each other and with their supports.

For the purpose of indicating the relative positions of the refrigerating unit and the removable partition, pan and rack, said refrigerating unit has been indicated by broken lines at R, the compartment'in which it is located being designated at C.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a refrigerating unit and a casing therefor, of a rack detachably supported within the casing below the unit, a partition detachably suspended within the casing at one side of the unit, means upon the rack for anchoring and partly supporting the partition, and a pan mounted upon the rack.

2. The combination with a refrigerating unit and a casing therefor, of a pan supporting rack detachably mounted beneath the unit, means for holding the rack against lateral and longitudinal displacement, a partition at one side of the unit, means for detachably supporting the same within the casing, means upon the rack for anchoring the partition thereto, said partition being liftable for disengagement from its supporting and anchoring means. 1

In testimony that I claim theforegoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

RUDOLPH A. RIEK. 

